All-ability park at Stillmeadow to bring children together.

By Michael Howerton
Staff Writer

Nicki and Jacki Mercede, 3-year-old identical twins, share the same smile but in many ways are worlds apart.

Nicki bounces around thee family's Stamford home, while Jacki needs to be carried from room to room. Jacki's cerebral palsy has made it difficult for the two to play together. She can't use her arms and legs and cats through a tube in her stomach. She will likely never leave a wheelchair.

Although Nicki doesn't seem bothered by her sister's disabilities, she can get frustrated with the constant attention paid to Jacki, according to her parents.

"She's too young to understand, we just tell her not to be too rough with Jacki,"
said their mother, Lori Mercede. "It's going to be a challenge when she does start asking questions. She doesn't understand why I have to spend so much time with Jacki."

It has only been in the past few months that Nicki has seemed interested in Jacki, according to their father, Frank Mercede. Al, the girls have grown, Nicki has become more focused on, and protective of', her sister.

"It was just when they turned 3 that Nicki started interacting with her," he said. "She comes in now when Jacki is sleeping and puts a blanket over her, playing mother."

When Jacki cries, Nicki will pat her and tell her everything's OK. If someone other than the family holds Jacki, her sister will try to entice their mother to come to the rescue.

Nicki's care and concern toward her sister is as heartwarming as it is wrenching, Lori said. Nicki's growth is a continual reminder of Jacki's disabilities. For example, when Nicki is able to catch a falling Cheerio with her tongue, Lori knows Jacki should be doing the same, but can't.

"I have a perfect example in front of me to show what Jacki should be doing," Lori said. "I dreamt for so long of having twins. I have a really hard time to this clay whenever I see twin girls together."

The Mercedes are working with the city to build an all-ability playground at Stillmeadow Elementary School where their daughters can play together. The "It was just when they turned 3 that Nicki started interacting with her," he said. "She comes in now when Jacki is sleeping and puts a blanket over her, playing mother."

When Jacki cries, Nicki will pat her and tell her everything's OK. If someone other than the family holds Jacki, her sister will try to entice their mother to come to the rescue.

Nicki's care and concern toward her sister is as heartwarming as it is wrenching, Lori said. Nicki's growth is a continual reminder of Jacki's disabilities. For example, when Nicki is able to catch a falling Cheerio with her tongue, Lori knows Jacki should be doing the same, but can't.

"I have a perfect example in front of me to show what Jacki should be doing," Lori said. "I dreamt for so long of having twins. I have a really hard time to this clay whenever I see twin girls together."

The Mercedes are working with the city to build an all-ability playground at Stillmeadow Elementary School where their daughters can play together. The playground, designed by Boundless Playgrounds Inc. of Bloomfield, will allow children, disabled or not, to play together.
"We spend a lot of time in hospital, a lot of time in therapy and in the car," Lori said. "Nicki eats a lot of lunches in the car, and we have missed out on a lot of fun stuff because there is not enough time. To go to a playground together and see smiles on both of their faces at the same time will be fantastic."

In looking for a place to build the playground, Frank visited Stillmeadow, which has the largest number of Stamford's special education students and saw how much the project was needed.

"I'd say there were 12 kids in wheelchairs, and at recess they just watched the others play," he said. "I thought this is where, the playground has to be."

Jacki, now in Stillmeadow's pre kindergarten program, is one of about 60 disabled students at the school.

The playground will be called Twin Meadows, in honor of Jacki and Nicki, and will be open to the community. The playground design calls for swings that can hold wheelchairs, chest-high sandboxes, rubber mats and wide ramps.

"Maybe this is why God let this happen to Jacki, because this good is going to come out of it," Frank said.

With support from Mayor Dannel Malloy, Schools Superintendent Anthony Mazzullo and Stillmeadow staff, the Mercedes said they hope to open the`playground next year.

Boundless Playgrounds staff completed a playground plan, based on student's ideas, last week.

Frank promised the city that the project will not require city funs; instead, he plans to raise the $500,000 needed through community and corporate donations.

His construction firm, Frank Mercede and Sons Inc., will help build the playground.
"It's going to be easy," Frank said. "I can feel it in my bones."

Since opening the first Boundless Playground in West Hartford in 1996, the company has helped build two dozen playgrounds across the country, including one in New Haven last year.

The company is working with a group in Norwalk to build an all-ability playground in Mathews Park.

At conventional playgrounds, disabled children are reduced to spectator status, Lori said. She said she wants to provide a publics pace where disabled children can be themselves rather than relegated to isolation in their back yards.

"They need to feel wanted and included," Lori said. "They are kids. They're supposed to play."